Toy multitone siren



June 18, 1940. H. ROBINSON TOY MULTITONE SIREN Filed July l5, 1939 Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 12 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide improvements 'in toy whistles broadly, but more particularly in a type which is capable of variable tones such as simulate a siren. l

5 -It is well known that children especially are interested in knoise makers of all sorts, and with the revival of the bicycle upon a large scale a demand has developed for an orally-operated whistle, which can be carried in the mouth of the rider and operated at will without other manual contact, or can be made to emit sounds like a siren when also manually actuated, so as to vary the tone by altering the effective length. of the tone tube and the corresponding wave length.

Another object is to provide a whistle of this type, which can be produced at relatively small cost, and can be carried in and depending from the mouth and actuated by one hand of the user, so that if such user is riding a bicycle or other vehicle, his other hand is left free for steering and similar purposes.

A further object is to provide in such a device a preferably angularly directed mouthpiece, having a simplicity of construction and eiiilciency of 5 operation, which is distinctly novel in the art and aptly lends itself to the requirements of the device in question.

With the objects thus briefly stated, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of a whistle comprising one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevational View, partly in section, of a slightly modified embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the same, shown partly in section; Fig. 5 is a 40 transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1; Fig. '7 is a plan view of the blank from which the channeled metallic portion of the mouthpiece is formed; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View showing the method of operatively securing the improved mouthpiece to the tubular portion of the Whistle.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, 6, 7 and 8, the improved whistle primarily comprises a tube l having a 50 forward opening 2 in one lateral wall thereof, to provide a sound producing or air cutting edge 3, While within said tube adjacent to the upper portion of said aperture is a fixed plug 4, providing a passageway 5 for directing a current of air towards said edge 3.

The opposite end of said tube is closed by any suitable form of cap 6 having a central aperture l', through which slidably extends a rod 8, provided upon its outer end portion with a manually engageable ring or the like Si, and upon its opposite inner end being attached to the plunger disc IU. Secured to the inner side of the cap 6 and surrounding said rod is a shorter length of tube Il, while surrounding this inner tube and also said rod, and extending between said cap and said plunger, is a coiled spring or equivalentr form of resilient member i2. With this construction, said spring tends to normally maintain said plunger at its upper or innermost position, limited only by engagement of' the ring 9 with the outer surface of the cap E, while outward movement of said plunger is limited by and upon its engagement with the inner end portion of the inner tube ll. Between these extreme positions, said plunger varies the effective inner length of the upper endk of said tube beneath the air cutting edge 3, so as to thereby vary the wave length and the resultant tone of the sound generated by air passing over said edge and emitted through the aperture 2.

The improved mouthpiece initially comprises a substantially 'T-shaped blank (Fig. 7), comprising a centrally positioned shank I3 having laterally oppositely extending marginal portions I4 adapted to be bent angularly upwardly with respect to said central portion i3, along the dot and dash lines i5. Said blank also comprises a cross portion IG, which is subsequently bent into the cylindrical portion I'l shown in Figs. 2 and 8. This cross arm portion Hi' of said blank is also provided with an aperture i8, which when the cylindrical portion il is in telescopic relation with the upper end portion of the tube l, registers with an aperture i9 in said tube, so that a pin 2Q may extend through said apertures and prevent accidental disengagement of said mouthpiece from said first-mentioned tube. The channeled portion iB--HL into which the :interior of said cylindrical portion merges, provides a hollow mouth-engageable portion of said mouthpiece initially open upon its forward side, but in practice closed by the adjacent surrounding portion 2| of a rubber tube, or other form of elastic member, which also extends downwardly and comprises a cylindrical portion 22, which operates to preventaccidental displacement and loss of the pin 26, and terminates preferably adjacent to the upper limit of the aperture 2 in the tube l.

A whistle constructed as herein described can be easily carried in the mouth of a child, or other person, as for instance when they are riding a bicycle or other vehicle, or in fact are engaged in any other pursuit, the rubber covered mouthpiece being gripped lightly between the teeth, so that the device as a whole depends from the mouth and can be blown at will with a nxed tone, as long as the plunger` is in its innermost position. However, while the whistle is being blown the plunger may be manually actuated to one or more outward positions or through constantly varying positions, so as to correspondingly alter the wave lengths and vary the tones generated by and emitted from said whistle as a whole. The improved mouthpiece may also comprise an integral extension oi the tube I, but as here shown comprises a detachable extension of the same.

Referring to Figs. 3, fl, and 5. the whistle here shown may be provided with the same improved mouthpiece as that hereinbefore described, or for that matter a mouthpiece oi any other desired construction, but is illustrated primarily to show a modication which makes possible a cheaper construction oi the operating portions oi the whistle. More specifically, said modification comprises a. tube 25 having a sound producing aperture 28 at its upper end, while its lower end is spanned and closed by a cap 27, provided with. a relatively narrow, elongated aperture 28 and with diametrically oppositely positioned apertures 29, through which latter extend angulariy bent tongues 30 forming an integral extension oi the cylindrical wall of said tube for securing said cap closure in Xed position. Within said tube a disc plunger 39 is provided, the same having a relatively7 narrow elongated aperture, similar to but of somewhat less diainetrical extent than the corresponding aperture 28 in the cap 2?. and through which extends the narrower central portion 3|' of the inner end oi a flat actuating rod 32, which in this case is preferably stamped from sheet metal or the like. This rod is also provided upon the laterally opposite sides of the central end portion 3i with oppositely directed angularly bent ears 33 which bear against the low er side ol the plunger' 3U', while said plunger is maintained rmly against them by twisting the extension 3 l, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. A coil spring 34 surrounds said rod 32, and at its opposite ends bears respectively against the inner surface of the cap 21 and the lower surface of the plunger 3D', while outward or downward movement of said plunger is limited by engagement oi an intermediately positioned laterally directed lug 35, carried by said rod for engagement with the inner surface of the cap 27, while inward movement of said rod is limited by engagement of said cap with laterally oppositely directed shoulders 36 of an enlarged manually engageable ring-like eXtension 31 of said rod.

As in the first instance, this modified form of whistle may be held between the lips of the one using it, so as to produce sound which is emitted in the usual manner through the aperture 2G, said sound being varied in tone in accordance with the variable positions oi the plunger 30' under the influence of the manually actuatahle rod 32. Finally, having shown two forms of the improved whistle, it is to be understood that additional alterations may be made in the details of construction of the same, while still employing the salient principles of the invention as herein described.

With regard to the several uses, functions and advantages arising from vthe use of the tube 2|,

it will be clearly apparent that these comprise a sealing of the connection between the mouthpiece and the tube l, a protection for the teeth and membranes of the mouth from the metal of the mouthpiece, the provision of suitable inexpensive means to permit attachment of the mouthpiece to the said tube, making possible the economical construction or' an angular tubular mouthpiece, which would otherwise entail a much greater cost of production, and thereby making possible the use oi an angular mouthpiece, by which any such air actuated musical instrument can depend in a natural position, while the upper or deflected portion of the mouthpiece extends into the mouth at an angle which insures comfort, ease and eihciency of operation. The term whistle as herein used is intended to include any pneumatically actuated sound-producing instruments to which the principles described are applicable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A whistle, comprising a tube having a channeled extension initially open on one side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing the otherwise open side of said member, to provide a closed channel and mouthpiece.

2. A whistle, comprising a tube, a mouthpiece comprising a tubular portion telescopically attached to said tube and a channeled extension open on one side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing the otherwisc open side of said extension, to provide a closed channel.

3. A whistle, comprising a tube, a mouthpiece comprising a tubular portion telescopically at1 tached to said tube and a channeled extension open on one side, an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing the otherwise open side of said extension, to provide a closed channel, and means to detachably connect the tubular portion of said mouthpiece to said tube, said means being covered by said elastic member.

4. A whistle, comprising a tube having a lateral outlet providing an edge, means to direct an air current towards said edge to create sound, a variably positioned plunger within said tube, resilient means to yieldingly maintain said plunger in a given position, means to manually shift said plunger so as to vary the effective length of the interior of said tube, while air ows into the opposite end thereof and past said edge, the inlet end of said tube being provided with an extension comprising a channel initially open upon one lateral side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding the inlet end of said tube and closing the otherwise open side of said extension, to provide a closed channel.

5. A whistle, comprising a mouthpiece formed from an initially T-shaped blank, the shank of which is formed into a transversely channelshaped portion open on one side and the crossarm portion of which is curved to form a substantially cylindrical portion, an elastic member encircling and closing the otherwise open side of said channel-shaped portion and said cylindrical portion, and a longitudinally elongated soundmaking structure carried telescopically by and in substantially axial alignment with said cylindrical portion.

6. A whistle, comprising a tube having an inlet` end, a lateral opening and an opposite closed end provided with a relatively narrow elongated slot, means to direct air entering said inlet end towards sai-d lateral opening `to produce sound, a plunger and a flat rod having a manually engageable portion outside of said tube, extending inwardly through lthe slot in said closed end and its opposite end extending through and twisted adjacent to the opposite side `of said plunger, and resilient means to normally maintain said rod and plunger in innermost position.

7. A whistle, comprising a tube having an inlet end, a lateral opening and an opposite closed end provided with a relativelyv narrow elongated slot, means to direct air enteringr said inlet end towards said lateral opening to produce sound, a plunger and a flat rod having a manually engageable portion outside of said tube, extending inwardly through the slot in said closed end and its opposite end extending through and twisted adjacent to the opposite side of said plunger, and resilient means to normally maintain said rod and plunger in innermost position, said rod being also provided with a laterally deflected portion adjacent to the rear of said plunger, operative to maintain said plunger against the twisted end portion of said rod, and being also provided with laterally extending means adapted to engage said closed end and limit the outward movement of said plunger.

8. A whistle, comprising an inlet end having an aperture in one side Wall, a mouthpiece normally in telescopic relation with said inlet end and also provided with an aperture in one side Wall normally in registry with said rst aperture, a pin extending through said apertures to prevent accidental separation of said mouthpiece from said tube, and an elastic band surrounding and operative to maintain said `pin in said apertures.

9. A whistle, comprising a mouthpiece formed from a blank initially having laterally extending wings at one end portion, the opposite end or shank of which blank is formed into a transversely channel-shaped portion open on one side, and the cross-arm or winged end of which is curved to form a substantially cylindrical portion provided With an aperture, and an elastic tubular member encircling and closing the otherwise open side of said channel-shaped portion, said aperture being engageable by an extraneous tool to draw the tubular and channeled portions through said elastic tubular member.

10. A Whistle, comprising a tube having a channeled extension initially open on one side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing the otherwise open side of said member, to provide a closed channel and mouthpiece, the longitudinal axes of said tube and said mouthpiece being angularly related.

l1. A whistle, comprising a tube, a mouthpiece comprising a tubular portion telescopically attached to said tube and a channeled extension open on one side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing thelother- Wise open side of said extension, to provide a closed channel, the longitudinal axes of said tube and said ymouthpiece being angularly related, and said tubular member substantially conforming in length in that of said mouthpiece and its tubular portion.

12. A whistle, comprising a tube, a mouthpiece comprising a tubwlar .portion telescopically attached to said tube and a channeled extension open on one side, and an elastic tubular member surrounding said extension and closing the otherwise open side of said extension, to provide a closed channel, and said tubular memiber substantially conforming in length to that of said mouthn piece and its tubular portion,

HANSON ROBINSON. 

